1904 — July 10, rear-end train collision, Greenwood Lake Div., Erie R.R., Midvale, NJ– 16
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-28-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–17 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac 1905. “Railroad Accidents, 1904,” Vol. XX, 1905, p. 452.
–17 Trenton Times, NJ. “Fifteen Dead and Sixty Injured in Excursion Horror.” 7-11-1904, p. 1.
[15 noted in title, but 17 deaths noted within the revised list of fatalities.]
–16 New York Tribune. “The Accident at Midvale.” 7-12-1904, p. 8.
–16 Passaic Daily News, NJ. “Agent and Flagman Held For The Midvale Wreck.” 7-19-1904, 1
–16 Railroad Gazette. Vol. 37, No. 5, 7-15-1904, p. 146.
Blanchard note: Though there are two sources noting 17 deaths, it appears to us that the three sources noting 16 deaths are correct. We especially rely on the July 19 coroner’s jury report noting 16 deaths, which was more than a week after the accident. The Trenton Times of July 11 noted that all the injured were doing well, thus we do not anticipate that there was a death from injures after the July 19 Passaic Daily News article.
Narrative Information
Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac 1905: “July 10. Rear collision on the Greenwood Lake div. of the Erie R. R. of two crowded excursion trains at Midvale, N.J., kills 17 and injures 50.” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac 1905. Railroad Accidents, 1904,” Vol. XX, 1905, p. 452.)
Railroad Gazette: “Since the Midvale event came shortly after the ending of the reporting year for railroad companies (June 30), we will drop in at this point statistics on the entire year compiled by the Railroad Gazette:
“Accidents
“The total number of casualties to persons on the railroads for the year ending June 30, 1904, was 94,201, of which 10,046 represented the number of persons killed and 84,155 the number injured. Casualties occurred among three general classes of employees, as follows: Trainmen, 2,114 killed and 29,275 injured; switch tenders, crossing tenders, and watchmen, 229 killed, 2,070 injured; other employees, 1,289 killed, 35,722 injured. The casualties to employees coupling and uncoupling cars were: Employees killed, 307; injured, 4,019. The casualties connected with coupling and uncoupling cars are assigned as follows: Trainmen killed. 269; injured, 3,506; switch tenders, crossing tenders, and watchmen killed, 23; injured, 420; other employees killed, 15; injured, 93.
“The casualties due to falling from trains, locomotives, or cars in motion were: Trainmen killed, 457; injured, 4,757; switch tenders, crossing tenders, and watchmen killed, 25; injured, 301; other employees killed, 75; injured, 570. The casualties due to jumping on or off trains, locomotives, or cars in motion were: Trainmen killed, 116; injured, 3,926; switch tenders, crossing tenders, and watchmen killed, 14; injured, 278; other employees killed, 61; injured, 506. The casualties to the same three classes of employees in consequence of collisions and derailments were: Trainmen killed, 613; injured, 4.337; switch tenders, crossing tenders, and watchmen killed, 20; injured, 138; other employees killed, 90; injured. 854.
“The number of passengers killed in the course of the year 1904 was 441 and the number injured 9,111. In the previous year 355 passengers were killed and 8,231 injured. There were 262 passengers killed and 4,978 injured because of collisions and derailments. The total number of persons, other than employees and passengers, killed was 5,973; injured, 7,977. These figures include the casualties to persons classed as trespassing, of whom 5,105 were killed and 5,194 were injured. The total number of casualties to persons other than employees from being struck by trains, locomotives, or cars was 4,749 killed and 4,179 injured. The casualties of this class were as follows: At highway crossings, passengers killed, 4; injured, 10; other persons killed, 804; injured, 1,453; at stations, passengers killed, 28; injured, 108; other persons killed, 458; injured, 525; at other points along track, passengers killed, 9; injured, 38; other persons killed, 3,446; injured, 2,045.
“In 1904 one passenger was killed for every 1,622,267 carried, and one injured for every 78,523 carried. For 1903 the figures show that 1,957,441 passengers were carried for one killed, and 84,424 passengers were carried for one injured.” (Railroad Gazette. Vol. XXXIX, No. 8, Aug 25, 1905 p. 190.)
Newspapers
July 11: “By Publishers Press Direct Wire
“New York, July 11 – Coroner Blauvelt of Passaic county, N.J., today began a preliminary inquiry into the wreck yesterday on the Greenwood Lake Division of the Erie Railroad at Midvale in which 15 persons lost their lives and 60 were injured. All of the injured were reported as doing well this morning. The special train which was sent after the dead arrived in Hoboken at 1 o’clock this morning with 14 bodies. A revised list of the dead follows: [Listed are 17 names.]
Henry Becker, 42 year old, Hoboken.
Two boys aged 6 and 8, named Batterson, of Manhattan.
Walter Hodgewessel, 8 years old, Jersey City.
Henry Kanzer.
Walter Kanzer, five years old, New York.
- J. Kelly, 23 years old, Jersey City.
Henry Koch, 23 years old, Hoboken.
Mrs. Agnes Lenkohl, 50 years, New York.
Edward McDermott, Hoboken.
Henry Otterstedts, 38 years, Hoboken.
William Renx, New York.
Henry Rohfling, 51 years, Hoboken.
- O. Schoer, Hoboken.
William Weidemeyer, Jr., 27 years, Hoboken.
William Windeknecht, 44 years, Hoboken.
Mrs. William Wistow, West Hoboken.
“Just who is responsible for the disaster has not been established. An endeavor was made to blame the tower operation. It is certain that the danger signals were not set but the operator claims this was not his fault as the apparatus was not in good condition.
“The Railroad Company is also holding an inquiry today, in an endeavor to fix the blame.
“The two trains which collided were unusually heavy and both were drawn by two locomotives. The train which was run into and telescoped was carrying the Plattdeutscher Verein[1] of Hoboken, the other train was the regular Sunday morning excursion to Greenwood Lake.
“All of the people killed and injured were in the last two cars of the first train. The rear car telescoped the one ahead and both were badly wrecked.
“Charges have been made that the wrecked cars were old and poorly constructed and these statements will be investigated.
“The Fourth ward of Hoboken where the majority of the excursionists lived, is in mourning today, and the grief is shared by the whole city.” (Trenton Times, NJ. “Fifteen Dead and Sixty Injured in Excursion Horror.” 7-11-1904, p. 1.)
July 12: “In spite of the lessons afforded by many years of experience, rear end railway collisions continue to happen with lamentable frequency. The latest one occurred last Sunday on the Greenwood Lake branch of the Erie road near Midvale. One train filled with excursionists from Hoboken had stopped to enable its engines to take water. The other suddenly came around a curve and struck the first one with sufficient violence to wreck the last two cars. Sixteen persons died in consequence, and fifty others were hurt. A signal tower stands in such a position with reference to the curve that if the proper warning had been given from it, and had been heeded, the two trains would never have come together. Though the man in charge declares that he set the signal duly, the general passenger agent of the road is said to be convinced that he failed to do so. For the present, therefore, the signalman must be blamed for the accident.
“There are two ways in which signals of this kind are operated. They may be controlled by hand or they may be shifted automatically from the block ahead by the movement of trains there. The former system brings into play the element of human fallibility, while the latter, though probably more expensive to install, is regarded as more certain in its action. There is always a chance, of course, that an engineer will disregard a signal when it is set at danger. Many accidents result from that cause. That at Midvale, however, would have been averted had the automatic control of signals been adopted by the Erie company. It will be interesting to know, therefore, whether the amount of money which has been saved by past economy will be more or less than the aggregate sums paid for damages.” (New York Tribune. “The Accident at Midvale.” 7-12-1904, p. 8.)
July 19: “Coroner’s Jury Accuses Richards and Heller and Warrants Are Issued For Their Arrest on Charge of Manslaughter.
“ ‘We find that Harry Kranzer came to his death on the 10th day of July, 1904, at Midvale, by reason of a collision of two trains on the Greenwood Lake division of the Erie railroad, caused through the negligence of William T. Richards, station agent, and Ernest Heller, flagman.’
“This was the verdict of the coroner’s jury returned last night after hearing at Paterson the testimony of 50 witnesses at the inquest into the Midvale railroad disaster that cost 16 lives, and in which more than half a hundred persons were seriously hurt.
“Warrants were issued last night for the arrest of Richards and Hell4r, on charges of manslaughter. When the next grand jury meets, in September, it will make an investigation on its own account, and it is believed that others besides Richards and Heller will be indicted.
“Heller, who was the rear flagman on the special excursion train, two cars of which were telescoped by the engine of a regular train, admitted on the witness stand that the special had stopped five minutes at the water tank before he reached the station, 400 feet east, to give the signal to the approaching train. He could not explain why it took him so long to walk back to the station. Continuing, he said:
I noticed the regular train as it came over the Pequannock bridge. Then I flagged it. I noticed that the signal was set for safety, as the arm on the signal pole hung at an angle of about 45 degrees.
“William T. Richards, the station agent and operator, took the witness stand, despite the advice of his counsel, W. Carrington Cabell. He said he was anxious to tell his story, as he believed when it was heard he would not be held responsible for the disaster.
“Richards testified that he had set the signal for danger, but he knew the signal was out of order and had so reported to the Erie officials two months ago. An attempt was made to remedy the defect, but little or no improvement was made.
“On cross-examination Richards admitted that the arm on the signal pole was partly down, and that it might be construed by the engineer of an approaching train either for safety or danger.
“Conductor Vanderhoof, of the special excursion train, told the jury that he had instructed his flagman, as soon as the train stopped at the water tank, to go back and flag the regular, which he knew was coming. Vanderhoof then made his way to the front of the train and he did not again see the flagman until after the crash came.
“Charles E. Landmasser, the engineer of the forward engine of the regular train, testified that he was positive the arm on the signal pole was down at an angle of at least 45 degrees when he came in view of it. He though it meant clear. He did not see the flagman until he reached the signal pole, and at the same time he saw the special standing at the water tank. He did all he could [end of p.1] to stop his train, but the distance was too short.
Says Heller Didn’t Flag the Train.
“Charles Brodbeck, one of the excursionists on the special, saw the flagman about the length of a car away with the flag rolled up in his hand. This was a few seconds before the crash came and just before Brodbeck was knocked off the platform. Brodbeck told about being thrown against a telegraph pole. He was getting up when he saw the head of his friend and employer, George Sherror, tumbling at his feet.
“William Hatchman, another excursionist, saw the flagman standing about 150 away from the last car with the flag rolled up when the regular train was rounding the curve at the Midvale station. Hatchman said he was sure the flagman did not unfurl his flag until the regular was well in on the station.
“James Crossen, another excursionist, was sure the flagman did not make a move until he heard the whistle of the second train, which was in sight, and then it was too late.
“ ‘If the flagman had gone back to his proper place there would have been no accident,’ remarked Assistant Prosecutor Shaw.
“ ‘Of course not. The flagman was to blame,’ retorted Judge Collins, who appeared as chief counsel for the Erie Railroad company.
“An imitation signal like the one at Midvale was constructed in the court room and operated for the benefit of the jury.” (Passaic Daily News, NJ. “Agent and Flagman Held For The Midvale Wreck.” 7-19-1904, p. 1 and 5).
Sources
Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac 1905. “Railroad Accidents, 1904,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Vol. XX, 1905, p. 452. Digitized by Google. Accessed 4-27-2025 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=x8MWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
New York Tribune. “The Accident at Midvale.” 7-12-1904, p. 8. Accessed 4-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-tribune-jul-12-1904-p-16/
Passaic Daily News, NJ. “Agent and Flagman Held For The Midvale Wreck.” 7-19-1904, p. 1. Accessed 4-27-2025 at:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/passaic-daily-news-midvale-crash-july-1/81408504/
Railroad Gazette. Vol. 37, No. 5, 7-15-1904, p. 146. Digitized by Google. Accessed 4-27-2025 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015021737666&seq=7
Railroad Gazette. Vol. XXXIX, July-Dec, 1905. Digitized by Google. Accessed 4-27-2025 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=yJxMAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false
Trenton Times, NJ. “Fifteen Dead and Sixty Injured in Excursion Horror.” 7-11-1904, p. 1. Accessed 4-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/trenton-times-jul-11-1904-p-1/
[1] Low German Club.